Paying £228/year for FreeAgent? EasyTax files the same returns for £24 each.
FreeAgent is a fine product — but if you are a UK sole trader or landlord who mainly needs to file MTD ITSA quarterly updates and Self Assessment, you are paying for a lot of features you will never use. EasyTax covers all the same HMRC filings for £20 + VAT (£24 inc. VAT) per submission — no monthly subscription, so you only pay when you actually file.
MTD ITSA is now mandatory — do you really need to pay £228/year for it?
From 6 April 2026, every UK sole trader or landlord with income above £50,000 must file quarterly updates through MTD-compatible software. The threshold drops to £30,000 in April 2027. If your main reason for using FreeAgent is to stay HMRC-compliant, EasyTax gives you the same compliance at a fraction of the cost.
April 2026
MTD ITSA: £50k+
Quarterly updates mandatory for sole traders and landlords earning over £50,000.
April 2027
MTD ITSA: £30k+
Threshold drops to £30,000. Around 1.4 million more taxpayers join the quarterly cycle.
Always
MTD VAT: £90k+
If you are VAT-registered above the £90,000 threshold, MTD VAT is already mandatory.
Side-by-side: FreeAgent vs EasyTax
EasyTax
£24 / filing
FreeAgent
£228+ / year
Pricing model
FreeAgent is a monthly subscription; EasyTax charges £20+VAT per HMRC submission
Typical annual cost
Based on 4 quarterly updates + 1 final declaration
No card to sign up
MTD ITSA quarterly updates
Self Assessment (SA100, SA103, SA105)
MTD VAT submission
CT600 Corporation Tax filing
Limited company P&L and Balance Sheet
Open Banking auto-import
AI expense categorisation
EasyTax uses Claude to categorise and reconcile
AI bank reconciliation chat
Full double-entry bookkeeping
EasyTax focuses on tax filing, not a full ledger
Built-in invoicing
EasyTax pairs with GrumpyWhales (free) for invoicing
Payroll
Included in FreeAgent standard plan
Project time tracking
FreeAgent pricing reflects the standard plan as of mid-2026. We are not affiliated with FreeAgent. FreeAgent is a registered trademark of FreeAgent Central Ltd.
Honest tradeoffs
Where EasyTax wins
- Free — no monthly subscription, no card required to start.
- AI bank reconciliation chat powered by Claude — describe a transaction in plain English and it gets categorised correctly.
- Built from the ground up for MTD ITSA — not a legacy product retrofitted for MTD.
- Simple interface for sole traders who just need to file — no feature overload.
Where FreeAgent wins
- Full double-entry bookkeeping and ledger (EasyTax does P&L and Balance Sheet for Ltd companies, not a full ledger).
- Native invoicing with client management and payment links.
- Built-in payroll and CIS.
- Project time tracking for client billing.
- More mature product with a larger ecosystem.
If you run a small agency, have employees to pay, or need invoicing in the same tool — FreeAgent may be worth the subscription. But if you are a freelancer or landlord who mainly wants to stay HMRC-compliant at zero cost, EasyTax is the better fit.
How to switch from FreeAgent
- 1
Export your FreeAgent data
In FreeAgent: Account Settings → Export. Download your transactions, bills, invoices and journal entries as CSV or PDF for your records.
- 2
Create your EasyTax account
Sign up with Google or email in under 60 seconds — no card required.
- 3
Connect your bank (Open Banking)
From the dashboard, go to Bank → Connect a bank. Pick your UK bank, authorise via Open Banking, and your transactions auto-import and get AI-categorised against HMRC allowable expenses.
- 4
Connect to HMRC
Authorise EasyTax with your HMRC Government Gateway credentials. We use the official OAuth flow — we never store your HMRC password.
- 5
File your next quarterly update or Self Assessment
EasyTax submits directly to HMRC via the official MTD ITSA and Self Assessment APIs. You get a confirmation receipt.
FAQ
How much does EasyTax cost?+
EasyTax charges £20 + VAT (£24 inc. VAT) per HMRC submission — no monthly subscription. You only pay when you actually file. Users who sign up during the current early-access period lock in this founder price for life. There is no charge to connect your bank or HMRC accounts.
I use FreeAgent for invoicing. What do I do?+
EasyTax doesn't have a built-in invoicing module. We pair with GrumpyWhales — a free UK invoicing tool — for that. If invoicing inside the same product is important to you, EasyTax may not fully replace FreeAgent. But many sole traders run two lightweight free tools rather than one £228/year bundle.
Do I lose access to my FreeAgent history when I cancel?+
FreeAgent gives you a 6-month read-only period after cancellation. Export your CSVs and PDFs before that window closes. EasyTax keeps your filing history permanently.
I get FreeAgent free through my NatWest/RBS account. Why would I switch?+
That's a genuinely good deal — if you're already getting FreeAgent free, stick with it. EasyTax is the right fit if you're paying the standard subscription or if your bank has changed its bundling terms.
Can EasyTax handle VAT and CT600 as well as Self Assessment?+
Yes — EasyTax files MTD VAT returns, CT600 Corporation Tax, and Self Assessment (SA100 with SA103 and SA105 supplementary pages) directly to HMRC. It also supports P&L and Balance Sheet for limited companies.
What about MTD ITSA — when does it apply to me?+
From 6 April 2026 if your total self-employment + property income exceeds £50,000. From 6 April 2027 if it exceeds £30,000. EasyTax is built on the HMRC MTD API for MTD ITSA quarterly updates and the final declaration (crystallisation).
Which UK banks does Open Banking auto-import support?+
Every major UK retail and business bank: Barclays, Lloyds, HSBC, NatWest, Santander, Nationwide, Monzo, Starling, Revolut, Tide, Mettle and most others. Read-only access only — EasyTax can never move money.
Stop paying £228/year just to stay HMRC-compliant.
EasyTax does it for £24 a filing.
No card required. Set up in under 5 minutes.